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> feature wedding: “The day was more than I wanted… I kept thinking this stuff only happens in fairy tales.”

Love was one of the last things on Cassaundra Vanegas’ or Alexander Karnal’s minds when they both found themselves in Las Vegas—she was celebrating a girlfriend’s 21st; he was helping a friend mend a broken heart. Plans to help his buddy were halted when Alex spotted Cassaundra on the dance floor and just had to approach. They quickly left the club in search of a quieter spot and talked the entire night. “Everything we revealed drove our connection,” Cassaundra recalls.

More than 2,000 miles between them (Cassaundra in L.A., and Alex in New York) couldn’t stop the conversation they’d begun

CASSAUNDRA VANEGAS AND ALEX KARNAL JUNE 2, ‘12 NEW YORK, NEW YORK

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that night. And after several months of en-during a long-distance romance, Cassaundra moved in with her sister and brother-in-law in the city, before she and Alex finally moved in together towards the end of 2010.

Using his 30th birthday as an excuse to gather 100 family members and friends for brunch in November of 2011—“I knew she would never expect a proposal on that day”—Alex thanked everyone for coming and then turned to Cassaundra. “I simply cannot go another minute without knowing you will be by my side forever,” Alex said as

he got down on one knee. Knowing that his bride-to-be wanted a summer wedding and that there was no place they would rather get married than New York City, he booked a date with the Mandarin Oriental before he proposed. “If you want a summer wedding here, you have to grab it,” Alex jokes.

The fun-loving couple adores the city and its nightlife and wanted their wedding day to reflect that. So they infused their traditional Catholic ceremony, held at The Church of Saint Francis Xavier, with modern touches. A string quartet performed contemporary songs by artists such as Coldplay and Alicia Keys and Cassaundra walked down the aisle to Lifehouse’s “You and Me.” “She starts walking down the aisle and I just lost it,”

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says Alex. “I looked in her eyes and knew this would be for life.”

To kick things up a notch, the couple’s 186 guests were taken from the church to the hotel by party buses. Once at the Man-darin, friends and family enjoyed two hours of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before head-ing up to the 36th floor where a red carpet, faux paparazzi and bouncer greeted guests and helped create the “nightclub in the sky” vibe the couple had envisioned. Dances, din-ner and speeches followed as the energy con-tinued to build.

To kick the party into high gear, Cassaundra changed dresses and reentered carrying spar-klers. Waitresses with trays of sparklers and shots were right behind as the cake, also

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thank you for sharing your story GRACE ORMONDE WEDDING STYLE

Location and Caterer: Mandarin Oriental New York New York, NY; Event Planner: JKS Events New York, NY; Floral and Event Design: MWD Lifestyles New York, NY; Cake: Ron Ben-Israel Cakes New York, NY; Linen: Ruth Fischl New York, NY; Rentals: MWD Lifestyles New York, NY; Classic Party Rental New York, NY; Party Rental LTD New York, NY; Lighting: Levy Lighting New York, NY; Violinist: Sarah Charness New York, NY; Engagement Ring: Cartier; Tuxedo: Eisenberg & Eisenberg New York, NY; Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier Los Angeles, CA; Photography: Jamie Watts Photography New York, NY

ablaze, was presented. “It was a high-energy, love fest of fun,” says the bride. To keep the vibe going, something fun was brought out every 15 minutes: glow sticks, shots, sun-glasses imprinted with the couple’s name and more. The celebration continued with an after-party at Avenue nightclub until 4 a.m. “The day was more than I wanted,” says Cassaundra. “I kept thinking this stuff only happens in fairy tales.”> Written by April C. MillerFor more feature weddings and resources visit

WeddingStyleMagazine.com

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